The Courteeners unveil ‘Falcon’ at Manchester homecoming gig

Liam Fray and co treat fans to tracks from new album at stunning hometown gig

The Courteeners played a number of new songs at a massive hometown show in Manchester last night (December 11).

Liam Fray and co played at the Central venue – formerly known as G-Mex – treating fans to eight tracks from forthcoming second album ‘Falcon’.

The gig opened with new song ‘Will It Be This Way Forever’, which revealed a more widescreen, Elbow-esque direction for the band.

Other new songs in the set included ‘Sycophant’, ‘The Good Times Are Calling’, ‘The Opener’, ‘Take Over The World’, ‘You Overdid It Doll’ and ‘Cross My Heart And Hope To Fly’.

Singer Fray was in jubilant form throughout, thanking fans for coming from as far afield as “Dundee and America” and dedicating songs to mates in the crowd.

Tracks from the band’s debut album ‘St Jude’ were rapturously received by fans, with debut single ‘Cavorting and ‘Bide Your Time’ inspiring huge singalongs.

“See you all in Blackpool,” Fray said as the band brought the the set to a close, alluding to next year’s UK tour, before the band topped off the show with a double-header of fan favourites – ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ and ‘What Took You So Long’.

‘Will It Be This Way Forever?’
‘Cavorting’
‘Acrylic’
‘The Good Times Are Calling’
‘If It Wasn’t For Me’
‘The Opener’
‘Bide Your Time’
‘You Overdid It Doll’
‘Please Don’t’
‘Kings Of The New Road’
‘Sycophant’
‘Fallowfield Hillbilly’
‘That Kiss’
‘Take Over The World’
‘The Rest Of The World Has Gone Home’
‘How Come’
‘No You Didn’t, No You Don’t’
‘Yesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow’
‘Cross My Heart And Hope To Fly’
‘Not Nineteen Forever’
‘What Took You So Long?’

Support at the gig came from two more hometown bands – The Whip and punk legends Buzzcocks.